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For a while it looked like there would be only 19 fans out making their case for keeping No. 19 an Ottawa Senator.

When Saturday afternoon’s rally officially started at 1 p.m., about two-dozen fans were chanting and singing their support for Jason Spezza, who turns 31 next month.

The veteran centre and Sens captain is widely rumoured to be on the trading block this summer after another season of injuries and the target of fan derision.

He’s become a whipping boy, accused of everything from not shooting enough to having a bad back and being a soft leader.

But, the fans who gathered Saturday like him so much they claim they’ll support Spezza no matter where he ends up, if worst comes to worst.

“There are a lot of Spezza haters in Ottawa who taken him for granted,” said fan Patrick McSweeney. “We are the Red Scarf Union. We are here to show our appreciation for Jason. We want to send a direct message to Jason that we appreciate him and we’re a big fan of him even though he may be on his way out. We wanted to send him out on a positive note.”

The most common sing-along chant was set to the tune of Walking in a Winter Wonderland.

“There’s only one Jason Spezza — One Jason Spezza. Walking along, signing his song. Walking in a Spezza wonderland.”

McSweeney said he’ll always be a Spezza fan in recognition of the “countless goals” he’s scored in an Ottawa uniform.

He’s been a career point-per-game player, even in the playoffs.

Fan Mehdi Bouchentouf doesn’t want to see Spezza wearing any other jersey than that of the Senators.

“I’m obviously going to cheer for him, I feel he was disrespected here,” he said. “He’s an elite player but he was never treated like one.”